Fifth-wheel for vehicles



` (No Model.)

J. W. WILLIAMS an J. Gg-CAPPS.

FIFTH WHEEL FOR VEHICLES.

No. 468,905 Patented Feb. 16, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN lV. VILLIAMS AND JOHN G. OAPPS, OF LOVELL, ARKANSAS; SAID YVILLIAMS ASSIGNOR TO FRANK E. BELL, OF BROOKVILLE, KANSAS.

FIFTH-WHEL FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 468,905, dated February 16, 1892. Application iiled .l'uly 14, 1890. Serial No. 358,615. (No model.)

T0 ill whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN W. WILLIAMS and JOHN G. CAPPS, citizens of the United States, residing at Lowell, in the county of Benton and State of Arkansas, have invented a new and useful Fifth-VVheeL of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to improvements iniifth-wheels for vehicles; and the objects in view are to provide a fifth-wheel of cheap and simple construction so constructed as to permit of a vertical oscillation of the axle independent of the vehicle to obviate the employment of the king-bolt and consequent perforatingand weakening of the axle and its bed, and to permit of an easy turning of the axle, all as will hereinafter appear in the following description, the novel features being particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of a fifth-wheel constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a transverse section. Fig. 4. is a detail in perspective of the upper fifth-wheel section. Fig. 5 is a Vertical section of the lower fifth-wheel section. Fig. 6 is a view of the reach-yoke.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the gures of the drawings.

1 designates the upper circular disk-section of the fifth-wheel, from the rear of l which there projects a pair of diverging integrallyformed reach-arms 2, bolted, as at 3, to the reach-sections 4. The opposite side edges of the upper section 1 are provided with a pair of laterally-extended ears 5, the lower edges of which are provided with transverse grooves 6. Upon the upper disk or section rests in this instance the spring 8, or it may be the head-block, as desired, said spring being secured in position upon the section by means of U-shaped clips 9, which take into the grooves in the under side of the ears and up each side of the spring, their terminals being connected by tie-plates 10, extended to the rear beyond the clips and bolted, as at 11, to the reach-irons 2.

12 designates the lower iifth-wheel section, also of circular form, and has its perimeter surrounded by a depending annular flange formed in the spring, or it may be the headblock, and above the same is provided with a nut 16. Upon the under side of the lower iifthwheel section is formed a depending longitudinally-disposed rib 17, provided with a semicircular bearing-'groove 1S.

19 designates the axle, and 2O the clip-plate, mounted upon the upper central portion of the axle and terminating at its ends in depending axle-embracing clips 21, connected at their lower extremities by tie-plates 22 and nuts 23. The clip-plate is provided at its center with a su periicial semicircular bearingrib 24, having a central opening, and upon said rib is mounted the depending rib 25.

26 designates a U-shaped stirru p, which depends from the under side of the lower fifthwheel section, with which section it is made integral, said stirrup being of a Width so as to somewhat snugly it the axle and yet permit an independent4 movement of the axle without interference by the stirrup. The stirrup is provided with Y bolt-openings 27 in its opposite terminals,which bolt-openings align with the longitudinal bore 28 of the rib 24, andthrough the bolt-opening of the rib through the two openings passes a'pivot-bolt 9 37. The front portion or stem of the brace extends beyond the axle and is upwardly and rearwardly curved and connected by a bolt 38 to the upper perforated ear 32, projecting from the upper section `of the iifthwheel.

IOC

It will be apparent that the front axle is free to oscillate vertically, as caused by the wheels thereof passing over obstructions, such as stones, uneven ground, dac., and is prevented from any lateral oscillations independent of the lower fth-wheel section by reason of the depending stirrup, which, i-t will be observed, is extremely strong and rigid by being formed integral with the lower section of the fifth-wheel. l

It will be observed that the weight of the vehicle at the front end of the same is not sustained wholly by the b olt, but by the contact of the Asernieircularly-recessed rib bearing upon the semicircular rib. The Y-shaped yoke prevents any disarrangement or springing of the parts and maintains the axle, the spring, and its connections in perfect vertical alignment.

Having described our invention, what we c1aimis l. The combination, with the upper fifthwheel section andthe lower fifth-Wheel section, the latter provided with a depending integral stirrup having opposite bolt-openings and between said stirrup with a depending rib having a semicircular recess, of an axle mounted in the stirrup and provided with a clip-plate embracing the upper edge of the same, said clip-plate having a superlcial centrally-bored rib taking bearing in the rib of the fth-wheel section, and a bolt passing through the bolt-openings of the stirrup and the bored rib, substantially7 as specified.

2. The combination, with the upper fifthwheel section having laterally disposed grooved ears, the spring mounted thereon,

the clips embracing the spring and seated inv lower section, the central longitudinally-disposed rib having a semicircular recess, the axle having the U-shaped clip-plate mounted thereon, said plate terminating in clips embracing the axle and having a central superiicial rib bored to align with the openings in the stirrup, a bolt passed therethrough, and

a Y-shaped brace having its terminals rearwardly extended' and connected to the perchsections, pivoted at the junction of its terminals to the lower end of the stirrup, and having its stem portion forwardly, upwardly,

and rearwardly disposed and bolted to the ear of the upper ifth-wheel section, substantially as specified.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN WV. WILLIAMS. JOHN G. CAPPS.

XVitnesses:

ROBERT FAIRBANKS, M. C. BURCH. 

